Shining a spotlight on saxophonist Eric Scott

The wonderful thing about being passionate about music is it enables us to meet some wonderful people along the way.

I met Eric Scott recently when he and wife Pam moved to Papamoa and joined the Tauranga Acoustic Music Club.

He recently played saxophone to back some of my original songs when we performed at the Dog’s Bollix in Auckland. Eric is pictured here along with Stephen Calvert on bass guitar and myself, Janne Guitargirl, at the opening night for The Local Musicians Music Club in Auckland.

Eric played piano as a youngster, then he hired a sax after helping at his son’s music camps.

He practised with the Waikato Schools Symphonic Band alongside his sons on trombone and trumpet, then went on to establish a jazz-focused concert band with the boys and friends. They played at various venues throughout the years, including opening twice at the Hamilton Jazz Club, and playing a three-hour concert at the Rotorua Jazz Club.

After moving to Whitianga, Eric joined with Danny Allen, an ex-Auckland multi-instrumentalist and jazz guitarist Steve Davis. They played regularly for four years, with a focus on Dixie, flavoured with Latin, Blues, BOP and swing etc.

Currently, Eric plays alongside Sheryl Bond and Aroha Thompson in ‘Easy’. They’ve played for retirement villages in the last few months, as well as performing at a 50th birthday, a Christmas work do and a wedding.

Eric’s latest projects include improving on his piano skills, and trying out his singing voice. However, he says combining the two is proving rather a challenge.

Eric will be playing at the grand opening night of The Local Musicians Music Club when it opens in Tauranga at the Brew Bar on Friday, January 13. If you are in the area, feel free to come along and support your local musicians and hear some original songs and New Zealand music.

I am Janne Guitargirl and I’m looking forward to meeting other musicians along this wonderful journey, as we all enjoy more music now that 2017 is here.